Something Was Wrong

After dealing with the monster, Nick and Kraun did not linger. They found a piece of black cloth, wrapped up the Goat-Headed Monster outside, and bid Lockent farewell.

Before leaving, Lockent pulled Kraun aside and quietly stuffed a small pouch into his hand.

Kraun weighed the cloth pouch, heard the sound of wealth within, and nodded with a satisfied smile, once again marveling at the man's generosity.

Kraun laboriously slung the monster onto the back of the horse. Despite Lockent's repeated attempts to keep them there, he waved goodbye.

When the two reached the Quarry, the Father riding ahead called the horses to a halt.

"Is something wrong?"

Kraun hurried forward. Once he had drawn even with the sturdy horse ahead, he tightened his own horse's reins as well.

Nick turned his head and held out his palm. "Hand it over."

"Hand over what?" He was somewhat baffled.

"Don't play dumb. I saw Lockent give you a money pouch. You only provided information and didn't lift a finger. I was the one who killed the Evil Spirit. Doesn't it burn your hands to keep all that money? You can keep twenty percent."

"Father, that's not very honorable of you."

Kraun did not want to give it up, and his voice rose several notches. "Lockent will definitely give the church a contribution far greater than this."

"It is all money I deserve. If you won't give it to me, I'll take it myself."

Kraun curled his lips and could only honestly toss the pouch to Nick.

The Father lightly tossed the money pouch a few times, opened it, and counted. "Fifty Silver Coins. You get ten."

After saying that, Nick put some of the Silver Coins back inside and tossed the pouch back to him. Pointing at the horse's back, he said, "This division is a matter of principle. This mutated monster is worth quite a bit too, and I will likewise give you twenty percent. You should be smiling already."

Upon hearing that, much of the resentment on Kraun's face vanished.

Just then, he had been wondering how to get along with such a stingy superior.

The two set off again, galloping at full speed and soon returning to the church.

After returning the horses, Kraun was about to take his leave when the Father called him back. "Come process the spoils. I'll teach you."

"Alright. Father, you think I can definitely become a Crusader Order Warrior, right?!" Kraun's face lit up.

"Not really. I just don't want to do it myself. If you do not have sufficient financial support, I advise you not to lightly attempt becoming a Warrior of our Lord. Once you begin, there is no turning back. Without enough nutritional supplements and medicinal support, you may be the first to fall into the abyss."

Making money? A minor problem.

Kraun was not worried at all. Problems that money could solve were not problems.

Now, his Herbalism proficiency was steadily increasing, and the success rate for high-quality Potions had reached an astonishing eighty percent. As long as he had enough materials, he was a humanoid alchemy machine.

He planned to have a proper discussion about cooperation when the traveling merchant who regularly passed through town returned.

If the partnership could not be worked out, he would head to Rhine City himself.

Deep down, he only wanted to lie low in Zack Town. Once he could no longer grind proficiency, then he would go out and see the world beyond.

Kraun hoisted the Goat-Headed Monster onto his back and followed the Father into the basement.

He recognized this as the route he had taken when receiving the so-called Holy Baptism.

Torches burned at intervals along the walls above the spiraling stone stairs.

Their shadows writhed across the walls.

Nick did not push open the door to the room where the ritual had been held, instead going to the room next door.

He lit the oil lamp in the room, pointed to a large iron table in the middle, and said to the person behind him, "Put the monster on top."

The oil lamp's flame was a bright milky white. The Father lit several more oil lamps, and the room instantly became as bright as day.

Kraun set the Goat-Headed Monster down on the table as gently as possible, then quickly surveyed his surroundings.

This place resembled a large warehouse. Shelves lined the walls, though only less than half their spaces held various bottles and jars.

Small white labels were attached to the bottles and jars. He was about to move closer for a look when the Father had already brought over a broad wooden box and set it on the table.

"These are dissection tools."

Kraun opened the toolbox, and cold light gleamed from within.

There were all kinds of knives, hammers, tweezers, saws, chisels, scissors, pliers, and more, a dazzling array of them.

Anyone unaware of their purpose might think it was a toolbox for both carpentry and dissection.

"A monster's muscles are extremely resilient. Bullets from small-caliber Firearms cannot penetrate them at all. But before tools forged from Valyrian Steel, they are no more than tough cowhide."

Kraun picked up a palm-length Dissection Knife, slightly surprised.

Muscles that even the impact of a Bullet could not penetrate—what could this pretty little silver-white knife possibly do?

As though he understood the young man's disbelief, Nick spoke again. "Take the knife and try it."

Klaan gripped the small knife as though holding a pen and pressed it hard against the Goat-Headed Monster's abdomen.

After a slight sensation of resistance, the blade sank completely in.

"Monsters created by Evil Spirit possession are not worth much. Only their hearts, teeth, and hides are valuable. Try taking those things out."

Two hours later, Kraun returned home from the church.

The Father had said the workload was not much, but Kraun was exhausted.

Even with sharp tools, his arms still ached unbearably.

Once home, Kraun began practicing the Golden Light Incantation.

The fact that Bullets could not deal fatal damage to monsters had greatly dampened his enthusiasm for Marksmanship.

He planned to practice Marksmanship only when going to trade at the livestock farm in the future, using his afternoons for Golden Light Incantation practice instead.

When he returned yesterday, he had already refilled the rice jar and salted some meat, preparing to make air-dried cured meat.

Now, all he needed to do was continuously practice Golden Light Incantation Visualization during the day and grind Herbalism at night.

At midnight, Kraun lay down to sleep with satisfaction.

After a whole night's practice, his Herbalism was about to advance to the third tier!

After he fell asleep, his body silently floated into the air, as though something were holding it aloft.

A moment later, his body slowly fell back onto the bed.

The next morning.

Kraun leaned against the wall, panting heavily.

A golden wall appeared before his eyes.

His gaze swept over it and settled on the Golden Light Incantation entry.

[Golden Light Incantation: 2607/10000; Tier Zero] (Your energy is becoming increasingly abundant. You can cut down on your sleep, so get grinding.)

Something was wrong!

He muttered to himself.

He had been perfectly fine before going to sleep last night. Why did he wake up with that same feeling of his body being hollowed out?

Could it be because he had practiced too much?

Previously, he had only practiced the Golden Light Incantation for one morning. Yesterday, he had practiced roughly two hours longer than in previous days.

Kraun could not figure out the exact reason, so he decided to practice the Golden Light Incantation throughout the day and see whether the same thing happened again tomorrow.